BOSTON (WHDH) - Mayor Martin J. Walsh on Thursday vowed to make Boston a national leader in curbing racism and eliminating racial inequality after seeing “real pain” in residents around the city following the killing of George Floyd, whose death at the hands of police has sparked turbulent protests across Massachusetts, America, and the world.
“Here in Boston, Mr. Floyd’s murder has caused real pain and it has brought out real pain that has existed in this city for a long, long time,” Walsh said during a news conference at City Hall.
Thousands of people have gathered several times this week to march through the streets of Boston to denounce police brutality against people of color.
A protest on Sunday devolved into a destructive and chaotic riot, but Black Lives Matter has since called for more peaceful protesting aimed at ending white-on-black brutality like the deadly arrest of Floyd by a white Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds after he stopped moving and pleading for air.
“I want to thank the thousands of people who have come out to honor George Floyd and take a stand against racism,” Walsh said. “We have seen many examples of connection and compassion. We have seen protesters looking out for each other. We saw leaders in our community guiding young people to express themselves safely. We saw police officers taking a knee. It made me proud as mayor.”
Walsh said that change is necessary, even if it may not be easy.
“We are listening and I am listening to the voices and messages of our black neighbors who are harmed by systemic racism every single day,” Walsh said. “As elected officials, it’s time to listen and learn and keep those voices at the center of the conversation.”
Walsh said it’s time for everyone to come together to get real work done and that he is committed to making real change happen in Boston.
“I pledge my commitment to making Boston a national leader in healing the wounds of our history and building a more just future,” Walsh said. “We need to understand the hurt that people are having.”
Walsh also said that he would be taking part in a moment of silence for Floyd at 3:45 p.m. He urged everyone to join him in honoring Floyd’s memory.
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